Key facts
- At least five people died in a ferry fire off Palawan, Philippines.
- More than 80 people remain missing after the ferry fire.
- Rescue efforts are hampered by thick smoke from the burned vessel.
- Survivors reported hearing two successive explosions before the fire spread rapidly.
- The ferry was en route from Manila to Coron with 117 passengers and 17 crew.
Philippine rescuers on Friday resumed the search for survivors of a ferry fire that killed at least five people off the western province of Palawan, with more than 80 people still missing. The fire aboard the vessel, named Cayabyab, spread rapidly, with survivors reporting that smoke quickly turned into a raging fire within seconds.
Rescue operations were complicated by thick smoke still emanating from the burned vessel, preventing responders from boarding. The number of missing was revised to 84 from 86 after authorities verified that two people originally listed on the manifest had not been on board. The number of people rescued stood at 43.
One survivor, Richard Marceliano, told GMA News that he saw a small amount of smoke that quickly turned into a raging fire and spread through the ferry within seconds. He and other passengers spent nearly two hours floating in the sea before they were rescued.
The Coast Guard has deployed five vessels and divers to the area, while army rescue boats, fishermen, and private resort owners continued to assist in the search that began Wednesday night. A larger Coast Guard vessel was also to be deployed.
It remained unclear what triggered the blaze. A statement from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), citing survivor accounts, said two successive explosions were heard from within the ship, which triggered the fire. According to the vessel's manifest, the ferry was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members on a voyage from Baseco in Manila to Coron, a popular tourist destination in Palawan. The ferry was also carrying five motorcycles, an electric vehicle, a forklift, a pickup truck, and mostly cargo goods.